World Series of Beer Pong 4

Thankfully my brother Tim is in a good band, because I have something to do on nights and weekends that gets me out of the house. If not for Tim and the Micah Olsan Hype Machine Band, I would have been sitting alone on New Years Eve counting down to the new year with Coach Bombay. So instead I was surrounded by friends, family, booze, great music, and gorgeous women. We were at Trinity on Water Street after all. So I once again lived vicariously through my brother as he rocked the crowd that New Years Eve night.

Kanz had the night off from Vitucci's, which is a rare event, but he had good reason to do it - we would be leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow morning. Last year, we both got so wasted that the flight out there was miserable, so we both took it nice and easy this year. Besides, we'll have plenty of time to drink and party in Las Vegas.

Tim got this hat from one of our elder relatives, and I was surprised how well he was able to rock it and make it look good. Then when Rez came into the bar looking stylin' good, I realized that sweet hats were making a comeback and felt left out.

Jenny and I (center) have known Courtney (far left) and Melissa (far right) since we were babies. Our Moms Kris + Pam have been best friends as long as I can remember, and we've grown up with these girls, their sisters, and their brother. As far as I'm concerned, their family. And I thank them for coming out to support Timmy.

You already know the dude with the hat (Timmy) and the goofy bearded guy (Joey Kanz) but let me introduce you to Kyle. I met Kyle while working at the Terrace at UWM, but it wasn't until later that I found out that he went to Wauwatosa East with Tim and Kanz. Walt Disney had it right, it really is a small world after all.

Jenny also knew Kyle from working at UWM, but I'm not so sure if she knew him when she was at Wauwatosa East. I could be a good little journalist and check my sources (aka ask Jenny) but I just don't feel like it. That's one of the many reasons I couldn't hack it in the Journalism department at UWM.

If you haven't been out to see Micah Olsan and the Hype Machine, two things - shame on you and please come out to see them. Micah, Tim, Dave and Anthony are all fantastic musicians, and their shows are a whole lot of fun. Now it might be the booze in me reacting, but at their shows I have been known to cut and rug and boogie oogie oogie till I just can't boogie no more. And now you know how uncool I am. But the Hype Machine is totally cool, and I invite you to go to micaholsan.com and check out one of their upcoming shows. You'll thank me later.

They handed out free champagne at midnight, so the band took a set break because everyone in the crowd was too focused on ringing in the new year. I didn't mind, because it allowed me time to hang with my brother. And toast to a new year filled with Ill Shit.

By now you must be getting tired of these pictures. After all, who wants to keep looking at Coach Gordon Bombay? I'll yell you who - me damn it. And probably my Mom. So there. I will keep taking them before I go away on a trip because he is my good luck charm. Plus these pictures are just bubbling with cuteness. This is Gordon's first year in a house (versus an apartment) so we rarely turn on the heat. In the apartments, we cranked it cause we weren't paying for it, but after we got the gas bill for the first time, we rarely touch the thermostat. So when I do turn the heat on, Gordon sits in front of the heating vent to stay warm. And when the heat is not on, he's curled in a ball on some of my blankets. And that's it. That's pretty much all he does in the winter. And it's not bad. Certainly a lot more exciting than my life.